


Sick Days

by Poetgirl925



Series: Caught in the Act [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-01
Updated: 2017-06-22
Packaged: 2018-01-03 05:00:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1066048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poetgirl925/pseuds/Poetgirl925
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prequel to 'Caught in the Act' - When Felicity ends up in the hospital after an ill advised attempt to stop a mugging she's witness to, Oliver is forced to confront feelings he's been trying to ignore for some time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This takes place in the same universe as ‘Caught in the Act’ but approximately six months before events of that story. Enjoy!

****

Felicity ground her teeth as the nurse probed at her side.  It hurt like hell, as Diggle always said – hurt to breathe, actually. 

“Sorry, sweetie,” the nurse told her, sympathy evident in her voice.  “You really got banged up.  The officer said you tried to stop an assault?”  Her name tag read ‘Penny’ and it was apt because of her shiny, copper colored hair pulled into a low ponytail.

“It wasn’t exactly like that,” Felicity replied, wincing.  “I had just finished shopping, I was walking to my car, and I heard a noise.  I’m not sure why I followed it.  I saw a girl being forced against the side of her car and I just reacted – hit him with my bag and tazed him.  The problem was that I didn’t see the other guy.”

“So I see.  Still, you probably saved that girl from worse than a mugging.”

“How is she?” 

The younger woman, probably no more than eighteen or nineteen, had been semi-hysterical when mall security intervened.  Looking back, Felicity knew she had been in shock.  They both had, though Felicity had been quieter for a change.  She hadn’t even felt her various bumps and bruises until after she was in the emergency room.

“She’ll be fine.  Her parents are here now, so she’s calmed down.  Should we call someone for you?”

She thought about her sort-of boyfriend, Eric, a computer science professor at Starling City University.  They hadn’t been dating long – just over a month – but he probably wouldn’t mind the call.  Unfortunately, he was away visiting his parents this weekend.  And she certainly wasn’t going to call her mother and worry her since she wasn't close enough to really be of help.

There were only two people Felicity could call – Oliver and John.  She really didn’t want to call either of them because they would likely both be upset that she’d intervened in an assault and gotten herself hurt in the process.  She didn’t want them to think that her limited training had given her some kind of hero complex – she knew she was no fighter.  But she hadn’t been able to walk away, either.

Plus her head was killing her.  If she had to listen to Oliver yell, it would probably explode.

So she shook her head.  “No, thanks.”

“Okay.”  The nurse patted her shoulder.  “Your x-rays should be back soon and then the doctor will be back in to see you.”  She walked out of Felicity’s ER room, leaving her to consider what to do next.

All she wanted to do now was go home, crawl into her bed, and sleep for the next week.  Luckily it was Saturday night, so she wasn’t expected to be at the foundry since Oliver had one of his mother’s functions to attend that night.  But based on the throbbing pain in her head and side, she was going to need at least a couple of sick days to recover. 

Reaching for her phone, she bit her lip.  She didn’t want to lie to Oliver, but she didn’t want to tell him everything, either.  She thought about it for a few minutes before typing out a message and sending it. 

_Felicity:  I’m not feeling so well this weekend.  If I’m still not a hundred percent tomorrow, I may take a couple of sick days._

There – not exactly a lie, but still vague.  When her phone chimed a few minutes later, it was Oliver.

_Oliver:  Flu maybe?  It’s going around._

_Felicity:  Maybe_

Again, not exactly a lie.  For all she knew, the flu could currently be incubating and she’d be sick tomorrow.  Her phone chimed again.

_Oliver:  Do you need anything?_

_Felicity:  No, but thanks.  As I’m sure you remember, I prefer to be sick in peace_

Also truth.  She hated people hovering over her when she was sick.  The last time she’d been sick it had been caused by a nasty bout of food poisoning, and she’d thrown up on Oliver - actually puked on him.  It ranked as the most embarrassing moment of her existence to date.  He hadn’t been thrilled either, though she had to admit he’d been pretty decent about it.  Still, she figured the threat of more vomit would be enough to keep him away for at least a few days.

She set her phone aside when the doctor came in.  “What’s up doc?  Sorry, that’s kind of cheesy and you probably hear it all the time, huh?” 

Dr. Walker smiled but didn’t comment.  “How’s the head?”

“Still attached, but I almost wish it weren’t,” she quipped, though her answering smile was weak.  “So can I go home now?”

“I’m afraid not.”  He sat in the chair beside her bed.  “I’ve reviewed your x-rays and in addition to your concussion, which alone is cause for concern, you have a couple of cracked ribs and a hairline fracture in your right ankle.”

Damn.  No wonder she felt like crap.  When he smiled again, she realized she’d spoken aloud.  “So I have to stay here?  For how long?”

“We’ll reevaluate tomorrow,” he advised her.  “My other concern is that the nurse said you don’t have anyone coming to help you?”

She shook her head, suddenly feeling depressed.  Being alone while home sick was one thing, but being alone in the hospital?  That sucked. 

The doctor stood and examined a small gash near her left temple.  “I think this could do with a couple of stitches.  I’ve already called the plastic surgeon – no need to worry about scarring.  They’re getting your room ready now.”

Felicity was quiet when Penny came back, not in the mood to talk anymore.  All of her various aches and pains suddenly seemed amplified.  She knew from being around Oliver and Diggle that adrenaline was the best drug.  She could definitely believe it based on this experience since it looked like it was wearing off now, a heavy weight of exhaustion descending to take its place.

The plastic surgeon came and went, stitching her wound with quick, efficient motions.  Three stitches, but he’d assured her that she likely wouldn’t even be able to see it after a few months.  Penny helped her pull off her blouse so she could wrap her ribs.  It was something Felicity had been dreading, but it actually did make them feel better.  Her right foot was wrapped and a soft cast applied to keep her ankle immobile, and Penny checked all of her vitals once more.

“Here.”  Penny handed her a loose pair of scrub pants and a t-shirt.  “I had these in my locker.  They’re new and clean, and I think you could use them more.  It’s better than the hospital gowns – those rooms get cold.”

She could feel tears stinging her eyes.  It was a small thing, but it made her feel better.  She changed quickly and then sighed in relief when she was allowed to relax against the pillows.  “Thank you – really.”

“No problem.  Just try to rest.  We’ll be taking you up to your room sometime in the next hour.”  Penny smiled and left.

Felicity raised her hand to feel the bandage over her stitches and then reached for her bag.  Pulling out a small mirror, she got a good look at herself for the first time.  “Oh my God!”

The left side of her face was bruised – she essentially had a black eye that extended halfway to her jaw.  Vaguely she remembered punk number two punching her; that was what sent her reeling back against the car before hitting the ground hard.  It was the kick he’d aimed at her rib cage that she remembered the most, so she hadn’t even registered this other injury.

She was screwed.  There was no way that bruise would be gone before she saw Oliver and Diggle again.  The stitches she might have been able to hide by wearing her hair down, but this?  Her pale skin tended to show every mark, and most bad bruises she sustained took up to two weeks to be completely gone.  Unless she had some deadly strain of flu, her earlier excuse wasn’t going to hold water for long.

Glancing at her phone, she was surprised to find that it was still relatively early – only about eight-thirty.  It seemed like an eternity had passed, but it had really only been a few hours.  Placing her phone back in her bag, she closed her eyes and tried to just let it all go.  She was more tired than she could ever remember being, her body stiff and sore.  She’d worry about what to tell Oliver tomorrow.

* * *

 

Thea stood near the nurse’s station with Roy, tapping her foot impatiently.  One of their bouncers had been injured that night, and she wanted to make sure everything was fine before heading off to her mother’s charity auction.  They were already late, and standing around the hospital in her evening wear was not her idea of a good time.  Then again, her mother’s benefit wasn’t her idea of a good time either.

She looked up when Roy walked over.  “Did you find out anything?”

“He’ll be fine,” Roy replied.  “They said he can go home and his family’s here now.  There’s really nothing for you to do.”

“Cool.” 

They were turning to go when Thea heard one of the nurses say, “That room is ready for Felicity Smoak, Penny – she’s on three.  Do you want me to take her up?”

“No I’ll do it,” Penny told her, moving away from the nurse’s desk and towards one of the cubicles.

Thea paused.  Felicity was in the hospital?  She seriously doubted there was more than one Felicity Smoak in town.  Her brother’s sassy and sometimes hilarious assistant was definitely an individual.  She followed the nurse, ignoring Roy’s questioning look.  When she walked into one of the cubicles on the end, Thea stepped in behind her.

“Holy shit,” she muttered, her hand covering her mouth as she got a good look at her.

The usually vibrant and extremely chatty blonde looked like hell, a massive bruise on the left side of her face.  She was pale, and she could also see her bandaged foot poking out from under the blanket.  Since she wasn’t moving, Thea assumed she was either sleeping or unconscious, her money being on the latter based on her appearance.

Turning to the nurse, she demanded, “What the hell happened to her?”

The nurse moved back and herded Thea out of the small space.  “I’m sorry, but you can’t be in here.”

“I know her,” Thea retorted.  “She works for my brother.  Is she okay?”

“Unless you’re family, I’m not allowed to release any medical information on a patient,” the nurse told her firmly.  “Especially one who’s not even awake at the moment.” 

“But…” Thea protested, only to be ignored by the woman.  The nurse motioned for an orderly and went back into the room.

A few minutes later they were quietly wheeling Felicity towards the elevators. 

When she looked at Roy, his concern was clear.  “Do you think your brother knows she’s here?”

“No.  Because if he knew, I think he’d be here.”  Thea pulled out her phone and called Oliver, only to get his voice mail.  “Come on, it’ll be easier to just go down there.  They’re not going to tell me anything anyway.”

* * *

 

Oliver fought to keep the pleasant smile on his face, but he could tell it was slipping.  He didn’t much care for charity balls and galas and auctions – he never had.  But he also knew it was part and parcel of being a Queen, and now more than ever he had to make an effort. 

They had certainly made strides toward improving the Queen family image since his mother’s acquittal, but he knew they also still had a long way to go.  Society hadn’t exactly snubbed Moira Queen, largely due to Oliver’s place at the helm of Queen Consolidated, but they hadn’t really welcomed her back with open arms either.  And yet his mother soldiered on and continued to go to attend benefits and parties while planning several of her own.  It was a testament to her perseverance that they were usually well attended.

Tonight’s auction was benefitting a rehab center in the Glades, and it had been very successful so far.  With the auction completed, the guests were now mingling, eating and talking about things in which Oliver had no interest.  But he still circulated with his date, a woman named Jillian whom he’d met on a business trip to Central City a few months ago.  It had seemed like a good idea to invite her tonight after running into her again the week before.  However, her clinginess was beginning to irritate him.

To complicate matters, they were standing with Laurel and his mother.  The tension between the other two women had faded a little since Moira’s trial, but it hadn’t disappeared completely.  Oliver could understand his mother’s position – in her eyes it had been highly inappropriate for Oliver’s ex-girlfriend to be second chair, much less lead prosecutor.  He had tried to understand Laurel’s position as well, knowing how important her job was to her.  But the fact that she had gone forward with prosecuting his mother in a death penalty case had soured his emotional attachment to her.

He supposed that was inevitable considering all the water under their particular bridge.  He still cared about her and always would, but he wasn’t living in a fantasy anymore, thinking he could turn back the clock, erase the years, and go back to being the person she had wanted him to be.  He knew now it was his desire for a simpler time that made him cling to the Laurel of the past, and it hadn’t been fair to either of them.

He supposed that began to change after Felicity and Diggle brought him back from the island the year before.  Thoughts of Felicity had him glancing at his phone again.  He’d checked it every so often throughout the evening to make sure he didn’t have any messages.  Jillian had even commented on it, apparently displeased with not having his full attention.  So far he only had a missed call from Thea, who had advised them she would be late.

He wondered again just how sick Felicity was.  After what happened the last time he checked on her while she was ill, he knew she wouldn’t appreciate him showing up at her apartment.  He’d tried to tell her that her throwing up on him wasn’t that bad – he’d certainly survived worse.  But she’d been mortified, so he knew she wouldn’t appear at the foundry if she was so much as nauseous anymore.

Oliver’s attention was caught by Diggle, who nodded towards the entrance.  He turned to see his sister barreling in their direction a lot faster than was safe in the kind of heels she wore. 

He smiled at her affectionately.  “Where’s the fire, Speedy?”

Thea rolled her eyes at the nickname.  “Since you’re in such a cheerful mood, I assume you haven’t been to the hospital yet.”

“The hospital?”  Oliver asked.  “Is Ricky’s condition that bad?” 

“No, he’s going to be fine.  But Felicity was in the emergency room, too.  When I left they were admitting her.  Have you heard from her?”

Oliver felt a funny, clenching sensation in his chest.  “She told me she might need a couple of sick days.  Is it the flu?”  She couldn’t have been at the hospital when calling him earlier.

Thea looked confused.  “The flu?  Ollie, she looked like she’d gone a round with Mr. Biceps over here – black eye, big bruise on her cheek, bandaged head.  I’m not even sure she was conscious.  It was definitely _not_ the flu.  Maybe a car accident?”

Oliver’s phone was out before she’d even finished talking, and he hit 1 on his speed dial only to listen to it ring.  His heart was pounding as he finally gave up, pressing the end button with more force than necessary.  He looked at Diggle, who nodded and left to bring the car around.

He turned to his mother.  “Mom, I’m sorry, but…”

“No, it’s fine.  Let us know how she’s doing.”  Moira glanced at his date.  “Jillian, I’ll have my driver take you back to your hotel whenever you’re ready.”

Jillian looked at Oliver, a very unhappy expression on her face.  “Who is Felicity?”

But Oliver was already halfway to the exit.  Thea looked at her brother’s date, barely suppressing an eye roll.  She was another of his plastic princesses – Jesus, it was like they were mass produced from a mold somewhere - long hair, perfect features, perfect bodies, perfect makeup, and zero personality. 

They didn’t seem to make him very happy, and he never dated any particular woman for more than a few weeks.  It was more like a show he put on.  She just wasn’t sure if he was trying to fool himself or everyone else by embracing the playboy schtick that everyone expected of him.

The first time she’d really noticed the difference had been the night Felicity came to a party Thea hosted at Verdant.  Thea knew who she was, of course.  And she vaguely remembered the woman bringing flowers to Walter’s hospital room.  But she’d been very surprised by how Oliver kept Felicity close most of the evening, and she’d made him laugh.  Like really laugh, the way Thea rarely saw him laugh anymore.  For a moment it was like having pre-island Ollie back, only a better and more responsible version. 

But her subsequent and pointed questions about Felicity’s status in his life had either been ignored or met with the standard ‘We’re friends’ label that Oliver tossed around whenever the topic of his blonde assistant came up.  She supposed they were actually friends.  Felicity certainly didn’t put up with the same crap his girlfriends did, and more than once Thea had seen her handle Oliver’s moods with practiced ease.  More shocking was the fact he allowed himself to be handled.

So it wasn’t that she doubted they were friends.  It was just the way Oliver looked at her sometimes that made Thea think it was something more than he wanted to admit to himself or anyone else. 

Moira put her hand on Thea’s arm.  “Was it really that bad or were you exaggerating?”

“I would not exaggerate on that topic.  She looked pretty banged up, Mom.”

When Moira glanced at Roy, he confirmed Thea’s version of events.  “She definitely had bruises on her face, and she wasn’t awake when we saw her.”

“I’ll call the florist and make sure they deliver some flowers to her tomorrow,” Moira said.

“I’ll take them,” Thea told her.  “Actually, I think I’m going home.  I’ll get a bag for Oliver, and Roy and I can take it to him.  I’m not sure if they’ll tell him anything if she’s not awake – they were pretty rigid about the rules earlier – but ten to one says he stays until she wakes up.”

Thea noticed that Laurel had drifted away during the conversation, and her brother’s date was looking unhappier by the moment.  But that was the beauty of not being the hostess – Jillian was her mother’s problem.

Hugging her mother, she grabbed Roy’s arm and left, making a mental list of things to do.  She wanted to drop by the mansion and get a change of clothes for Oliver since black tie was bound to be conspicuous as hell at the hospital.  Then she’d put together a care package for Felicity.  She had a feeling the woman might appreciate things like wipes, moisturizer and deodorant when she woke up to find Oliver hovering at her bedside. 


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N – Just a reminder that I started this universe back in early to mid-season 2, and it takes place in a very AU early season 3.**

Oliver didn’t even wait for Diggle to bring the car to a full stop before he jumped out and ran inside the emergency room. The waiting room was busy, which for a Saturday night in Starling City wasn’t that unusual. Ignoring the stares directed his way he went straight to the information desk, where a blonde nurse in bright pink scrubs was going through paperwork.

“Felicity Smoak was brought in here tonight. Where is she?”

The nurse drew back at his demanding tone. “I’m sorry, sir but you need to….” She stopped talking as she looked up, and Oliver could see she recognized him. “Uhm… I’m sorry. Who are you looking for?”

“Felicity Smoak.” Oliver gripped the edge of the counter.

The nurse typed something into her computer and bit her lip as she cast an uncertain look at Oliver. “Mr. Queen, you’re not a relative or her emergency contact.”

“She doesn’t have family in Starling City,” Oliver replied, his voice rising.

A redheaded nurse walked over. “Is there a problem, Karen?”

Karen shrugged helplessly. “He’s looking for Felicity Smoak, the woman who was brought in a few hours ago. The one you treated.”

Oliver forced a smile and checked the name tag of the new nurse. “Penny, I’m a friend of Felicity’s. I just want to see her and make sure she’s okay.”

Penny crossed her arms. “Mr. Queen, I’m going to tell you the same thing that I told your sister when she barged in here. We can’t release information about a patient’s condition without their express permission. That’s the law.”

“Then tell her I’m here and I’m sure she’ll give you permission,” he ground out.

“I asked her earlier if she wanted me to call anyone, and she said no.” Penny looked sympathetic but it was clear she wasn’t budging. “We can let her know in the morning that you were here.”

Oliver leaned in. “I’m not leaving here until I see her.”

“I can’t stop you from waiting here,” Penny said. “But understand that we can only give information to her emergency contact, and you are not him.”

“Him? Who the hell is her emergency contact?” Oliver asked. The only man he could think of would be that college professor Felicity had been seeing, but they had only been going out for about a month. He had a hard time imagining that Felicity listed that guy as her emergency contact for anything.

“That would be me.”

Oliver turned to see Diggle behind him.

Diggle moved to stand beside Oliver and passed her his driver’s license. “I’m John Diggle.” At Oliver’s questioning glance, he added, “It was after you left last year. I thought it would be a good idea.”

Penny leaned down and looked at the information on the computer screen. “Okay. We admitted her and she’s on the third floor. I can take you up but visiting hours are over and frankly, she needs her rest. It would be better if you just take a peek and then come back in the morning.”

Oliver listened to the other information Penny rattled off as they took the elevator to the third floor. Felicity had a minor head injury that required a few stitches, two cracked ribs and a hairline fracture in her ankle.

“She’ll be fine,” Penny told them. “I should warn you though, it looks worse than it is because of the bruising.”

They walked past the third floor waiting area and nurses’ station, and Penny carefully opened the door to a dimly lit room. It was a double, but Felicity was the only occupant and didn’t stir when they entered.

He wasn’t prepared for the massive bruise that covered almost the entire left side of her face. There was also some swelling under her left eye, though whatever blow had caused the damage obviously hit lower than her eye.

Oliver didn’t trust himself to speak, which Diggle seemed to realize.

“Do you know what happened?” Diggle asked, keeping his voice down so as not to wake Felicity.

“I think she should probably tell you about that,” Penny answered. She motioned them out.

Oliver ignored her and walked over to the side of the bed, taking in every detail of her injuries. Her right foot was wrapped and propped up on a foam pillow, and he could see a soft cast on the small nightstand. The wound at her hairline was small but based on the blood he could still see in her hair, it had bled a lot.

Very gently, he brushed his fingers over the bruising on her left forearm. It was the kind of bruising that occurred when a person was grabbed, and he swallowed down the white hot rage that shot through him.

“Mr. Queen, she really does need to rest.”

He nodded and followed the nurse and Diggle out of the room.

“If you want to stay, I’ll let the night nurse know you’ll be in the waiting area.”

“Thanks,” Diggle told her. He waited until she walked away and then said, “Oliver, you need to calm down.”

“That wasn’t a car accident,” Oliver said. He clenched his fists, squeezing and releasing in an attempt to get himself under control. “There must be a report, so contact Lance and find out what happened.”

“I’ll see what I can find out as long as you promise you won’t go off half-cocked,” Diggle said.

“I want to know who did this.”

“So do I, man. But did you think that maybe this is the reason Felicity didn’t call us? She wouldn’t want you doing anything you’ll regret later.”

Oliver looked back at the closed door of Felicity’s room. He knew Diggle could be right about that, but he still planned to make sure the person responsible for hurting her paid for it.

* * *

 

Felicity blinked against a sudden, bright light. She shifted, trying to turn on to her side, but several sharp pains reminded her that she wasn’t at home. “Ow, ow, ow.”

“Here, let me help you.”

She opened her eyes to see the same nurse, Penny, from the night before. “You’re still here.”

“I work twelve hour shifts and did a few overtime hours last night,” Penny told her. “It’s almost nine – we wanted to let you rest as long as possible, but the doctor will be making rounds soon and you should try to eat something before you take your meds.”

Felicity allowed the other woman to help her sit up as she raised the bed to a reclining angle. Her entire body felt like one big bruise, but some of her aches and pains settled down once she was resting against the pillows. She accepted the water that Penny gave her and took a long sip.

“Oliver Queen and his sister are still out in the waiting area. I think she brought you an overnight bag if you’d like to see her first.”

Felicity choked on the water and coughed. “What? How long have they been here?”

“Mr. Queen arrived maybe an hour after we got you settled in your room for the night.” Penny looked curious as she pushed the bedside table around so that Felicity could reach the tray of food there. “Your emergency contact, Mr. Diggle, was also here. He said he’ll be back later this morning.”

“Okay. Great.” Felicity sighed and leaned back against her pillows again. So much for keeping this under wraps, at least until she got home. She wondered how they had found out so quickly.

“The police officers who took your report last night also said they would send a detective over this morning,” Penny continued. “From what I heard, they didn’t catch the men who did this.”

“They ran when mall security pulled up,” Felicity said.

“So, about your visitors. Which one would you like me to send in first?”

She was tempted to say neither but now that Oliver knew she was here, she was only delaying the inevitable. “Thea, I guess.” Maybe she had some baby wipes in that overnight bag.

When Thea walked in a few minutes later, she was carrying a much larger bag than Felicity had expected.

“How are you feeling?” Thea asked. She winced when she got a good look at Felicity’s face in the light. “Ouch. That looks like it hurts. A lot.”

“I’m okay, mostly.” Felicity was busy poking at her breakfast tray. She wasn’t that hungry, but it was a much needed distraction at the moment, and she knew she couldn’t take her meds on an empty stomach. “How did you know I was here?”

“We had a scuffle at Verdant last night and one of the bouncers got hurt. Roy and I were here checking on him and I saw you. It didn’t look like you were conscious, and I was afraid no one knew you were here, so I told Ollie.” Thea set the bag down at the foot of Felicity’s bed and wrinkled her nose at the plate of food. “That doesn’t look very good.”

Shrugging, Felicity took a bite of the eggs and nodded at the bag. “I don’t suppose you have baby wipes in there? My head still feels sticky.” Penny had wiped away some of the blood after they’d finished stitching her head wound, but she didn’t feel clean at all.

“Oh, I have so much more than that,” Thea replied with a smile.

Felicity ate while Thea pulled out baby wipes, face wipes, deodorant, a new toothbrush and toothpaste, mouthwash, a hair brush, lotion, and a set of pajamas with a matching robe and fuzzy socks. She’d also thrown in some magazines.

“Thank you for this,” Felicity said, touched that Thea would think to do something like this for her when they didn’t know each other very well. “I owe you one.”

“I think the reverse is true. Ollie wasn’t doing so well when he first got home, which I’m sure is no surprise to you. But ever since he came back from that trip and took over at Queen Consolidated, he’s been better. Call me crazy, but I think you had a lot to do with that.”

Felicity smiled, unsure what to say to that, and Thea raised her brows but took Felicity’s unspoken cue to drop it. Penny came in with Felicity’s medicine and then helped her to the bathroom. It took her a while to clean up and change into her new pajamas and robe, and then Thea and Penny gently cleaned her face and hair with the wipes.

By the time they were finished, she was exhausted again. Once she was settled back against her pillows, she waited for Penny to leave and then asked, “So on a scale of one to growly, how is Oliver this morning?”

Thea pursed her lips as she thought about it. “Honestly? I think his feelings are hurt that you didn’t call him.”

“Oh.” Felicity sighed. “I mean, I didn’t call anyone because at first I didn’t know it was this bad. And I knew he was busy.”

“I’m surprised he hasn’t come in here yet,” Thea admitted. “I need to get going but how about I bring over some real food later? Do you know how long they’re keeping you?”

“No idea, but I want to go home today if I can.”

Felicity waved as Thea left and braced herself for the next Queen.

* * *

 

Oliver stood at the window as he waited for Thea to return. He was surprised when his sister showed up with a change of clothes for him and a bag for Felicity, but he was glad of the jeans and t-shirt since he spent the night in the uncomfortable chairs of the waiting room.

He’d seen Felicity’s nurse come and go, and he heard her say that the doctor would be making rounds in the next hour.

“You can go in now.”

He turned to see Thea behind him and nodded. He pulled on his jacket and grabbed the coffee she’d brought him this morning.

“Don’t forget the flowers,” she said. She picked up the smaller of the two arrangements she’d brought and passed it over to him. “I’ll leave the big one at the nurses’ station to take in later. And Ollie?”

“Yeah?”

“Go easy on her. I’ll see you later.”

Oliver walked into Felicity’s room and paused at the foot of her bed. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

She looked better than she had the night before. She was still pale, and the bruises had darkened, but Thea had obviously helped her get cleaned up. Her hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders, and she was wearing a blue robe and pajama set. He smiled when he saw the fuzzy socks with hearts on them.

“You brought me flowers?” Felicity asked.

He looked down at the arrangement of wildflowers in shades of pink, blue and purple interspersed with greenery. “Thea brought them.” He wondered if he was imagining her brief look of disappointment.

Setting the flowers on the bedside table, he sat in the chair beside her bed. “How are you feeling?”

“Okay.” She bit her lip and then shook her head. “That’s a lie. The truth is I feel like crap, which is why I’m hoping we can postpone the lecture until next week. Or never, you know. Whichever.”

He stared at her for a minute. “Is that why you think I’m here?”

“Well, no. Not the only reason.”

Wiping his hands down his face, he shook his head. “Why didn’t you tell me what was really wrong? You lied to me.”

“I didn’t lie exactly,” she argued.

“So if I was in the hospital, or Diggle, and we didn’t tell you, you’d think that’s fine?”

She sighed. “Okay, I’m sorry. I knew I was going to have to tell you, especially after I saw my face, but I knew you were busy last night…”

“You really thought my mother’s benefit would be more important than you being hurt?” His voice rose, and he breathed in and out slowly, reminding himself that getting upset with her wasn’t going to help. “Do you want to tell me what happened?”

He listened without comment as she told him about the girl she’d seen being attacked in the mall parking lot, her impromptu intervention, and the second man who had come out of nowhere.

“The good news is that the other girl wasn’t hurt too badly, and I’ll be fine in a few weeks. The bad news is that mall security didn’t catch the guys.”

“Yeah, well, Diggle is looking into that. They won’t be free for long.” He’d see to that.

“Oliver, promise me that you’re not going to do anything too crazy,” she said. She reached out her hand, and he took it carefully. “I really am okay. Find them and let Lance know. And if they get hit in the ass by a pointy object, I wouldn’t complain.”

Oliver laughed. “I’ll see what I can do about that.”

He stayed when the doctor came in and examined her.

“I think you can go home this evening,” he told her. “It might be a good idea to have someone stay with you, just to help out for a couple of days.”

“I’ll stay with her,” Oliver said, ignoring Felicity’s startled look.

“Oliver, you don’t have to do that,” she said after the doctor left.

“True. You could always come to my house.” He bit back a smile at her horrified expression.

“You mean your mother’s house,” she said. “I do not know her well enough to move in to one of your guest rooms. What would she even think? Never mind, I know what she’d think, and I’m not going to have your mother thinking that, thank you very much.”

“Then the deal is, Diggle and I will help you out for a couple of days.”

“Fine.” She leaned back against her pillows and yawned. “Sorry, it’s been a long morning.”

“Get some rest,” he said. “I’ll wake you up when it’s time for lunch.”

She nodded and was asleep within a couple of minutes.

Oliver sat with her for the rest of the morning. In the year since he’d returned from the island for the second time, he and Felicity had grown closer. She was the person who had put color back into the black and white world he’d lived in for so many years. He relied on her in all areas of his life at this point, and he’d quit lying to himself about what that meant.

He knew he wanted her – wanted more than just her friendship and partnership. His fear of screwing it up had been part of the reason that he maintained that last wall between them. The other part was his fear that their enemies would use her to hurt him, just like the Count had.

Sitting in the waiting room the night before, he’d recognized a new truth. One that had been staring him in the face for a while now, though he’d chosen to ignore it. He could deny it, and he could continue to distract himself with other women, but he knew it wouldn’t change how he felt about Felicity.

Somehow, he’d fallen head long for his sassy partner-in-crime-fighting, and he had no idea what to do about it.

Oliver was still staring at Felicity, lost in thought, when Diggle arrived and pulled up a chair next to him. Diggle looked at him with a knowing expression, but he didn’t say anything as they kept watch over her for the rest of the morning.

* * *

 

Felicity watched the clock anxiously as she waited for Oliver and Diggle to return on Monday night. They’d found the two men responsible for the attack at the mall, and they’d left hours ago to make sure they ended the night in police custody.

She’d been released from the hospital the day before and as promised, Oliver had camped out on her sofa since she arrived home. Now she sat on that same sofa, waiting. When she heard the knock, she limped over to the door, wondering if Oliver had lost the key she gave him.

Pulling the door open, she said, “It’s about ti-… oh.”

She’d been so sure it was Oliver that she was surprised to see Eric. He’d come by the hospital the day before but had seemed irritated. He’d left within fifteen minutes of his arrival, and she hadn’t heard from him since then.

“Hi.” Eric shoved his hands into his pockets. “Can I come in for a minute?”

“Sure.” She stood back to let him enter and then limped back to the sofa, careful of her ribs as she sat down again.

He was still standing, and she followed his gaze to Oliver’s overnight bag and the unzipped garment bag that held a suit and a few shirts.

“A friend is staying with me, just until I can get around a little better,” she explained.

“A friend. Right.” Eric sat in the chair across from the sofa. “I’m going to be straight with you, Felicity. I like you, but I don’t think you have room for me in your life right now.”

“What does that mean?” She should have seen this coming, she supposed. She’d known something was wrong at the hospital the day before.

“It means that on half our dates, I’ve felt like a third wheel to Oliver Queen. And I know you explained it – the job is demanding, and I get that. But he’s shown up here unexpectedly, and he somehow found us at that restaurant a couple of weeks ago. If he doesn’t show up, you’re on the phone with him. He was at the hospital yesterday. And now, if I had to guess, I’d say those are his bags over there.”

“I told you that we’re also friends,” Felicity said with a frown. “The two times he crashed our dates, unknowingly I might add, he apologized. They were legitimate emergencies.”

“If you think you’re just friends I’m not going to argue with you,” he replied as he stood up. “It’s just a little more than I can deal with.”

Suddenly, she heard a key in the door lock and Oliver walked in holding two brown bags. He paused when he saw Eric and nodded. “Eric. How are you?”

Eric nodded back but didn’t respond. “Take care of yourself, Felicity.”

Oliver stepped aside to let him leave and then closed and locked the door. “What was that about?”

“Nothing.” Just the sound of my love life imploding, once again, before it even gets started, she thought.

He raised his brows. “It didn’t look like nothing.”

“I don’t think we’ll be seeing each other anymore, that’s all. It’s not a big deal.” That part was true. She liked Eric, but she felt nothing more than the same mild disappointment she’d felt when her other dates went nowhere. “How did it go tonight?”

“As expected. Both men are on their way to jail, where they will sign a full confession.”

“Really?”

“They were smart enough to realize jail was safer,” he said in a dry tone.

Somehow she didn’t doubt that at all. “So what’s for dinner? It smells good.”

“Thai food,” he said, pulling a few containers out of one bag and placing them on her coffee table. “And I got a few things for breakfast tomorrow.”

Felicity watched as he took the other bag to her kitchen. She could hear him opening cabinets and the refrigerator, and a few moments later he returned with plates, forks and a couple of bottles of the mineral water she liked.

“You don’t have to go to all of this trouble, Oliver,” she said. 

“I know.” Oliver looked up and smiled at her. “You take care of me all the time. Let me return the favor this once.”

She smiled back at him even as a little voice cautioned her against reading too much into it. She knew she had feelings for Oliver – feelings that he’d been clear weren’t going to be returned a year ago, after their trip to Russia. It hurt then, and if she was being very honest with herself, it still did sometimes.

And then there were times like this when she recognized how lucky she was to have him in her life, even if it wasn’t totally in the way she’d like. He and Diggle were family to her, and she could rely upon them in every way that mattered.

For now, at least, that was worth more than anything else.

**A/N – I realize it’s been 84 years since I posted Olicity (sorry.) Even though it’s been forever, I still have readers who message me about my unfinished Olicity stories – Sick Days, Blackout and Recreational Dating. I have a rare summer off that I’ve reserved for mostly writing since I’m writing/editing some original work right now. In addition to that, I’m taking some time to address WIPs for various fandoms. For Olicity, the final chapter of Blackout is probably up next.**

**I had 3 other stories planned for this universe. Two would precede “Sick Days” – one is “Five Times Oliver Crashed Felicity’s Dates (and One Time She Crashed His)” and the other would be a short drabble or one shot of the party where Thea first noticed Felicity was more to Oliver than just an assistant or friend and would be Thea’s POV on them. The third story would fall between “Sick Days” and “Caught in the Act” – it would be drabbles or one shots that detail the dates Oliver took Felicity on in the two months after her hospitalization, before he abruptly ended it. (These were referenced in the story “Caught in the Act.”) I have a story file on all of these, and bits and pieces were written long ago. I’ll take a look at that and see if I can finish it up. But at least this one is done! Thanks for reading, if you still are.**


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